Published: December 02, 2008 1:00 PM
Invermere Valley Echo
MLA Norm Macdonald will be acclaimed as the Columbia River-Revelstoke riding NDP candidate for this upcoming spring's provincial election race this Saturday, Dec. 6.
The Columbia River -Revelstoke NDP Constituency Association announced last week they will acclaim Macdonald as their candidate during this Saturday's meeting in Kimberley.
“I have enjoyed my time serving this area, and I look forward to another term.
“I have had the opportunity to bring forward a great number of issues on behalf of the residents of this constituency.
“It has been a real honour to be elected to be the people's voice in Victoria,” Macdonald stated.
Macdonald, the former Golden mayor, has served as MLA since his election in May 2005 where he won the vote with a 52% majority over incumbent Liberal MLA and valley resident Wendy McMahon.
Since his election, he has served in a number of critic portfolios.
Macdonald began as critic for municipal affairs where he was able to use his experience as a former mayor and town councillor.
Macdonald was then the critic for Tourism, Sport and the Arts when the worst of the Convention Centre cost overruns were announced, coining the oft-repeated phrase “the biggest botched project in the history of the province.”
This past summer, Macdonald was promoted to the position of education critic, one of the bigger portfolios in the shadow cabinet.
“We are very proud of Norm who has worked very hard during this term in office to serve people of all political stripes,” said NDP Constituency President Antoinette Halberstadt.
“We look forward to this Saturday's celebration with our NDP leader Carole James, and it is with great gusto that we launch the campaign for his re-election in May.”
Opposition Leader James will be in the Kootenays this weekend, attending a number of nomination meetings including in Kootenay East where Troy Sebastian will be nominated to take on two-term MLA and tourism minister Bill Bennett.
The public is also invited to attend a reception for Carole James prior to the Columbia River - Revelstoke nomination on Saturday, Dec. 6 at 6 p.m. at the Catholic Chuch Hall in Kimberley.